Caller to GOP: Co-Opt “Black Lives Matter”

Sep 11, 2015

RUSH: Robert in Green Bay, great to have you on the program, sir. Welcome to the EIB Network. Hello.

CALLER: “Resist, we much,” Rush. “Resist, we much!” I want to talk about Black Lives Matter as a movement. I think this is a gift-wrapped opportunity for the Republican candidates to reach out to people who haven’t traditionally supported conservatives. I’m not talking about Al Sharpton and pandering to his ilk, but just everyday people who are trying to work hard and put a roof over their head and food on their table.

I think they could stump in the black communities and say, “Black Lives Matter? You damn right Black Lives Matter. And they’ve always mattered to Republicans, whether you look back to when they passed the Thirteenth Amendment… The majority of Democrats opposed it. When they passed the Fourteenth Amendment, 100% Democrats opposed it. Republicans want prosperity and success for black lives; Democrats want them to have the minimum wage. Obama promised green jobs. Who has green jobs in the black community? No one I know of. Hillary heard from the Black Lives Matter movement. She didn’t like their attitude and told them she’d rather talk to white people.”

RUSH: We had that sound bite. I remember that exactly. But the Black Lives Matter movement, is it a fraud? Isn’t it run by a white guy trying to stir up trouble?

CALLER: Who cares? I think we should steal the narrative on it —

RUSH: Oh.

CALLER: — and just usurp the leadership on this.

RUSH: So you think that there’s actual ground to be gained by Republicans just going, “Black Lives Matter? Damn right they do. Hell, yes, they do!”

CALLER: Damn right they do! (chuckles)

RUSH: Interesting. No matter what’s behind it, it’s clearly an issue that matters to a lot of people. So say, “Hey, Black Lives Matter? Damn right they do, and they’re more important than minimum wage,” and they’re more important than this and that, and you categorize black life under Democrats. You say, “It’s more important than that, and it’s more important than Hillary. She got so frustrated with them she said, ‘Screw you! I’m going to go talk to white people.'” Yeah, imagine if Trump said that. What would happen? Anyway, I appreciate the call out there, Robert. Thanks much.